Coronavirus: Previous sufferers can catch new strain says expert
Boxing Day is usually accompanied by scenes of frenzied shoppers flocking to the high street but not this year. Today six million more people in the east and south east of England entered tier four restrictions and other areas moved up a tier. The reason for this new precedent is a new mutated strain of coronavirus that was first discovered in Kent.
The new variant does not appear to be more harmful than earlier mutations but it’s significantly more transmissible.
To protect those most at risk, it is vital that you respond to the warning signs of COVID-19 by self-isolating.
Throughout the pandemic, health bodies have adapted their lists of possible warning signs in light of new evidence.
In addition to the main symptoms, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published five emergency warning signs for COVID-19.
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If someone is showing any of these signs, the CDC urges them to seek emergency medical care immediately.
The emergency signs are:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Bluish lips or face.
“This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you,” it adds.
According to the NHS, the main symptoms of coronavirus are:
- A high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- A new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
- A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.
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“Most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms,” says the health body.
How serious is the new variant?
Research is yet to fully establish the nature of the new mutated strain but preliminary data suggests it is considerably more transmissible than previous mutations.
The variant is 56 percent more transmissible than other strains, according to a new study by the Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
This will likely lead to higher levels of hospitalisations and deaths next year, the study predicts.
The government had previously said the mutated variant appears to be as much as 70 percent more transmissible than other circulating strains.
How to respond
According to Public Health England, the way to control this virus is the same, whatever the variant. It will not spread if we avoid close contact with others.
Wash your hands, wear a mask, keep your distance from others, and reduce your social contacts.
“We currently have no evidence that the variant is more likely to cause severe disease or mortality, but we are continuing investigations to understand this better,” says PHE.
Can I alleviate coronavirus symptoms?
There is currently no specific treatment for coronavirus (COVID-19), but you can often ease the symptoms at home until you recover.
According to the NHS, if you have a high temperature, it can help to:
- Get lots of rest
- Drink plenty of fluids (water is best) to avoid dehydration – drink enough so your pee is light yellow and clear
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen if you feel uncomfortable.
- There have been some news reports of anti-inflammatory painkillers, such as ibuprofen, making coronavirus worse.
The Commission on Human Medicines has now confirmed there is no clear evidence that using ibuprofen to treat symptoms such as a high temperature makes coronavirus worse.
You can take paracetamol or ibuprofen to treat symptoms of coronavirus.
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